US2646586A - Self-propelled automobile washing machine - Google Patents

Description

July 28, 1953 D. A. FOUTES 8 SELF-PROPELLED AUTOMOBILE WASHING MACHINE Filed Aug. 3, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 [Nut/wrap DAVID A. FOUTES GTTORNIY July 28, 1953 D. A. FOUTES 2,646,586

SELF-PROPELLED AUTOMOBILE WASHING MACHINE Filed Aug. s, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Mil/N701? DAVID A. FouTEs n rromvb'f July 28, 1953 D. A. FOUTES Y 2,646,586

SELF-PROPELLED AUTOMOBILE WASHING MACHINE Filed Aug. :5, 1951 I 4 Sheets-Sheet s INIIEIW'OII DAVID A. FouTEs July 28, 1953 D. A. FOUTES SELF-PROPELLED AUTOMOBILE WASHING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 3, 1951 IIYU'IWa/I DAVID A. FouTEs FIGS 'mechanical amounts of building space which adds to the Patented July 28, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SELF-PROPELLED AUTOMOBILE WASHING MACHINE David A. Foutes, Hannibal, Mo.

Application August 3, 1951, Serial No. 240,083

3 Claims.

.on a so-called wash rack and carrying out the washing operation by hand with hoses and sponges. In recent years one or two types of semi-automatic car washing machines have been developed butthese machines involve extremely expensive complicated installations and involve a conveyor belt arrangement by which the automobile is propelled through a tunnel-like sequence of spraying and scrubbing mechanisms .and finally through a long section in which the 'older and more conventional method of handwashing on a wash-rack. Furthermore, these installations require excessive cost of the installation itself.

It is the primary object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a compact car washing machine which is relatively inexpensive in construction costs and maintenance and which can be set up and operated within a comparatively small building or building-space.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a car washing machine of the type stated which moves to-and-fro along the car being washed while the car remains stationary and which can be manipulated and operated from a single compact set of controls capable of being handled by a single individual.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a car Washing machine of the type stated which is so simple in operation and compact in construction that it can readily be operated by handicapped persons, such as war veterans who are so-called wheelchair cases and are deprived of the use of their lower extremities.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a car washing machine of the type stated which is so economical in initial investment, maintenance, and operating cost, as to be readily suitable for use in small garages, filling stations, and the like, where a modest volume of business can be achieved and very large investment, operating, and maintenance costs cannot be economically justified.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts presently described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure l is an end elevational view-of a car washing machine constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is an elevational view of one side of the car washing machine; v

Figure 3 is an elevational view of the other side of the car washing machine; 1

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 44 of Figure 1;

Figure 5is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 5-5 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken-along line 6-6 of Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken along line 1-'! of Figure 6;

I Figure 8 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along line 8-8 of Figure 2;

Figure 9. is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 99 of Figure 1;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line -I0lll of Figure 9;

Figure 11 is an enlarged perspective view showing the details of construction of the wiper securement elements forming apart of the present invention; I

' Figure. 12 isv .afragmentary sectional view taken along line I2--l2 of Figure 11; and

Figure 13 is a fragmentary sectional'view taken along line l'3--l3 of Figure 12.

Broadly speaking the present invention comprises a skeleton-like rectilinear frame constructed of tubular steel structural members in the general shape of an inverted U so as to extend around the two sides and across the top of an ordinary automobile. The frame is mounted upon wheels or casters and is self-propelled so that it will pass slowly along and over the vehicle from front to rear or rear to front, as the case may be. Operatively mounted within the framework are a series of vertically inclined and horizontal shafts which are motor driven horizontal or top-cleaning shafts are vertically shiftable to accommodate various. levels of the different horizontal or nearly horizontal surfaces of the automobile.

Referring now in more detail andby reference characters to the drawings, which. illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention,

A designates a car washing machine comprising two laterally spaced horizontal, U-shaped base frames I provided with forward shafts 2 and rearward shafts 3, each having floor-engaging wheels 4. Welded to each of the base frames I and projecting vertically upwardly therefrom are the shaft 3 I. Pivotally mounted at its inner end upon the frame plate 33 for limited vertical swinging movement is an outwardly extending latch bar 43 provided along its under edge with a series of spaced slots 44 for optional engagement with the upstanding edge of the structural member 16. By adjusting the latch bar 43 to any one ofits optional positions the motor frame 34 and the associated frame plate 33, together with the entire assembly thereon supported, can be shifted inwardly and outwardly within prescribed limits so' that the vertical angularity of the shaft 3! may be varied. The latch bar 43 is biased downwardly by a hair pin spring 43, as best seen in Figure 10.

At uniformly spaced intervals and alternately V on opposite sides the shafts 3| are provided with tubular uprights 5, 6, 7, 8,9, M, H, l2, and l3.

Theuprights 5, 6, 1-, 8, 9; and I5 ofeach of the base frames l extend'upw-a'rdly for a substantial distance above the upper ends of the uprights H, l2, and I3, and are longitudinally connected at their upper ends by an angle member it.

These same uprights arealso transversely connected across the top by transverse struts l5. Theupper ends of the uprights ll, i2, and i3, are lengthwise connected by an. angle member l6 and finally the uprights I3 ofthe'two base frames I are transversely connected-'by'an angle member IT. The joints between all of these various uprights and cross members are preferably welded so as to form a very strong secure skelet'onized framework which will fit over and around an automobile or similar vehicle in the manner of an inverted U and may be moved along the floor to-and-fro over and around such vehicle, substantially as shown in Figure l.

Rigidly mounted upon the member I6 is a conventional electric motor 18'' having'a drive pulley [9 connected by a V -belt 20 to a pulley 2l' of a conventional speed reducing mechanism 22 which, in turn, includes an output shaft 23 and drive sprocket 24 around which is trained a conventional roller chain 25, the latter being, in i turn, also trained around a sprocket 26 pinned to the forward shaft 2. The motor I8 is conventionally connected by suitable wires (not shown) to a switch 27 and speed controller 28 forming part of a control bar 29. Inthis connection it should. be pointed out that the particular arrangement of the various instruments and switches on this control bar is not critical but may be varied as circumstances require, the type of arrangement shown in Figure 2 being illustrative rather than definitive.

Rockably mounted upon the inside leg. of each of the base frames I, adjacent the forward ends thereof,'are foot bearings 30 in which are ro tatably mounted upwardly extending inclined wiper securement assemblies comprising a radially projecting pin 55 and an L-shaped arm 46, the upper end of the. L-shaped arm being spaced slightly downwardly from the pin #5 so as to provide a very narrow. gap or space therebetween to permit threading a continuous loop-shaped wiper 31 thereon. Welded, pinned, or otherwise securely attached to the shafts'3l in the region of the horizontal leg of the L-shaped arm 46 is a U-shaped retainer bracket 48 projecting'radialr 1y outwardly for a substantial distance beyond the vertical leg of the. arm 46 and at its outer extremities being provided with. upwardly ex=- tending spaced parallel arms 49, which lie loosely on opposite sides of the wipers 41. Thus; itwill be seen that the wipers 41 may bereadily changed or replaced whenever circumstances may require.

The inner horizontal legs of the: base frames i are also provided with foot bearings 30. and

shafts 3|" constructed substantially in. the same manner as the foot bearingsv 30' and shafts: 31, previously described, and similarly powered by an electric motor also mounted in a trans-- versely shiftable frame 3 1 and provided with'a spaced series of wipers 41'. It'will beunderstood that there are four vertically positioned angularly adjustable shafts having wiper' elements and driven by electric motors and the electric motors are all individually controlled by separate switches 50 mounted on the instrument bar 29.

Operatively mounted for vertically shifting movement between each pair of vertical uprights 8, 9, is a counterweight 51 connected on its upper end to a sprocket chain 52" which extends upwardly between the uprights 8, 9, and is turned over an idle roller 53 and thence around a sprocket 5 and extends downwardly for connection at its lower end to a slide block 55 which is, in turn, mounted for vertically shifting movement between the uprights 9, Hi. The slidev block 55 is, furthermore, attached on its under face, to a downwardly extending flexible. cable 51 which, in turn, is trained around an idler. pulley 58, journaled upon the. base frame. I and. the cable 57 extends thence upwardly and is operatively attached to the under side of the counterweight 5|, all as best seen in Figure 6.

The sprocket 54 is operatively: mounted. upon an idler shaft 59 which is suitably journaled upon the structural member It and extends transversely outwardly, being provided on its outward end with a driving sprocket 60 which is, in turn, engaged with a sprocket chain 6|. trained at its lower end around a second sprocket 62'; pinned to a shaft 63, operatively journaled on the upright member H and provided at itsouter end with a crank handle 64, as shown in Figure 8;

The two slide blocks 55 on opposite sides of "the car washing machine A are provided with axially aligned journals for rotatably supporting a cross-shaft 65. The shaft 65 projects outwardly from one of the slide blocks 55 and on such projecting end is rigidly provided with a pulley 66 connected by a V-belt 6'! to an intermediate wiper securement elements 45, 46, previously de-- scribed and shown in Figures 11 to 13, inclusive, and accordingly is equipped with a series of wipers 41.

Slidably mounted between the pairs of vertical uprights 6, 1, are counterweights 5|, substantially identical in all respects to the previously described counterweights 5|, and similarly connected by sprocket chains 52 and associated mechanisms to vertical shiftable slide blocks 55 which, in turn, operatively support a cross-shaft 65', substantially identical in all respects to the previously described cross-shaft 65, and similarly driven by an electric motor 13, substantially identical with the previously described motor 13. The motors l3, 13', are connected conventionally by electric wires to control switches l5, 75, mounted on the control bar 29.

Carried by and extending horizontally between the structural members i4 is a spray pipe I6 connected conventionally by a suitable length of rubber hose 11 to a source of water under pressure (not shown).

In use and operation, an automobile is driven' onto the selected working space of the garage or filling station fioor and the windows and other air vents closed in the usual manner preparatory to being washed. Preferably, though not necessarily, this working space is laid out and defined by a pair of simple angle iron tract members 18, 18, in which one forward wheel 4 and the corresponding rearwardly aligned wheel 4 may ride. Thereupon, the main driving motor 8 is turned on and the forward speed of the car washing machine A is adjusted by appropriate manipulation of the speed controller 28 so that the machine A will progress slowly downwardly and approach the front bumper of the vehicle. As soon as the machine begins to approach. the front bumper the water is turned on through the hose 1'! and spray i6 and, at the same time, the motors 35 are set in operation so that the wipers 4'! will begin to rotate at a sufficient speed that the centrifugal force will tend to hold the wipers ii" in substantially straight radial position, in which position they will slap against the sidewardly presented surfaces of the vehicle grill of the car being washed, the horizontal shafts 65, 65', are set in motion and, by appropriate manipulation of the crank handle 64, are lowered into operative engagement with the horizontally presented surfaces of theautomobile, such as the top of the hood and the top of the body compartment. The angular positions of the shafts 3|, 3|, are; ofcourse,-adjusted before the car a washing operation actually starts so as to accom- :upwardly and inwardly along the side surfaces modate the particular vehicle upon which the car washing operation is to. be carried out; As is well known some particular automobiles are constructed with an exaggerated angle of slope thereof from the. fender skirts toward the top,

' requiring an exaggerated degree of angularity in'the position of the shafts 3 3|. Other automobiles are more or less straight-sided and in such cases the shafts 3|, 3|, are adjusted to a more nearly vertical position. The adjustment in the vertical arigularity of the shafts 3|, 3|,

- once set, will not be varied during the particular car washing operation for which the setting or;

adjustment was made In fact, it is not necessary to'change this adjustment frequently, since most types of automobiles have more or less conventional contours.

On the other hand, the horizontal position of the shafts 65, will be. continuously varied up. and down to follow the horizontal profile of the automobile being washed as the car washing machine A moves along.

It will, of course, be understood that the wipers G1, #21, may be very quickly and conveniently removed and changed from time to time when replacement is needed as a result of wear or when different textures and types of wipers may be required. For example, it is possible by using soft fuzzy types of wiper elements made of pile fabrics or sheepskin to utilize the car washing machine A as a car polishing machine. This can be accomplished by first washing the car as above described and then substituting polishing elements for the wipers 41, 41', and running the machine A over the car a second time. Prior to this second run, of course, the car may be sprayed with a water emulsified solution of car wax and the solution allowed to dry. Thereupon, thepolishing operation will be automatically completed by the machineA to produce a brilliant and long-lasting lustrous finish upon the surfaces of the automobile.

It should be understood that changes and modifications in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the'several partsof wheels operatively mounted on the frame, a

prime mover operatively mounted in and carried by the frame, said-prime mover being operatively connected to at least some of said wheels for moving the frame slowly along the automobile, a plurality of approximately vertical shafts mounted for swingable movement toward and away from the automobile, said'shafts being provided with radially projecting hooks, and a loop. of absorbent wiping material removably mounted on each hook.

2. A car washing machine comprising a frame having a generally tunnel-shaped configuration adapted to fit over and around an automobile,

wheels operatively mounted on the frame, a

prime mover .operatively mounted in and carried by the frame, said prime mover being operatively connected toat leastsome of said wheels for moving the frameslowly along the automobile, a plurality of approximately vertical shafts mounted for swingable movement toward and away from the automobile, said shafts being provided with radially projecting hooks, a radial pin set into the shaftsabove each book and. in upwardly spaced relation thereto, and

a loop of absorbent wiping material removably mounted on each hook. i

3. A car washing machine comprising a frame having a generally tunnel-shaped configuration,

adapted to fit over and around an automobile, wheels operatively mounted on the frame, a prime mover operatively mounted in and-car- ,riedby the frame,.said prime mover being operatively connected to at least some of said wheels ing provided withlradiallyprojecting hooks, each of said shafts further being provided with a pair of parallel rods associated with each hook, the rods of each such pair being located respectively on opposite sides of, and radially outwardly from, the hook with which they are associated, and a loop of absorbent wiping material removably'mounted on each hook and extending outwardly between the rods associated with such hook.

DAVID A. FOUTES.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,908,788 Pulliam May 16, 1933 2,253,609 Byroncet al Aug. 26, 1941 2,257,255 Yingling Sept. 30, 1941 2,329,377 Imes Sept. 14, 1943 2,544,066 Chenault Mar. 6, 1951 2,579,866 Rosseau Dec. 25,1951 2,583,703 Morison Jan. 29, 1952

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